By Jessica Naiman for Chabad.org

Issie Rabinowitz is determined to spend the little time he believes he has left helping strangers, whether they reside in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada, or halfway around the globe in the third-world.

Stricken With Lou Gehrig’s, Ottawa Man Fights for Free Education

By Jessica Naiman for Chabad.org

Issie Rabinowitz is determined to spend the little time he believes he has left helping strangers, whether they reside in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada, or halfway around the globe in the third-world.

An active member of the Chabad-Lubavitch community in the Canadian capital, Rabinowitz has been fulfilling a dream he thought up about six years ago, long before the 48-year-old accountant and father of five was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig ’s disease. His free online school known as the NewStart Institute now counts students from the United States, Pakistan, Vietnam and locations in between – anyone needing a hand up in the quest for job skills.

Many people stricken with a devastating disease retreat inward; but in November, 2008, the Israeli-born Rabinowitz was already well underway getting his brainchild up and running. He decided to redouble his efforts in the wake of the diagnosis, creating an institute that offers a total of 16 courses and diplomas in either business administration or accounting. More than 300 people have signed up; a dozen have graduated.

The institute, located online at educationfree.org, is not accredited by the Ontario government, so it can’t confer certified degrees. Rabinowitz hopes to get all regulatory criteria satisfied soon, but in the interim, he’s just trying to cut the costs of education.

“Many people say, ‘I need to know a little bit more about [Microsoft] Word,’ so they take one course and that’s fine,” he says. “The beauty is that it’s on the Internet and automated.”

Rabinowitz funds the venture with his own money – about $8,000 annually. He calls it his way of being a “Righteous Jew,” his own version of a “Righteous Gentile,” the title bestowed on those non-Jews who rescued Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, often at great peril. For Rabinowitz, the experience helps answer a nagging question: If I had been a Pole in Europe, would I have saved others?

“I would want every Jew to be helped,” he explains. “So I have to do something for others.”

Continued at Chabad.org – A Noble Cause

8 Comments

  • Rosey

    If everyone used their talents and gifts to help others like this, can you imagine what how much better things would be. One of the greatest mizvot one can do is help others to be able to help themselves. In the zchus of this you should have a complete refuah shelaima.

  • a child of a parent that had ALS

    For your wonderful work in what you are doing Hashem should cure you, and be completely healthy. My father A”H had ALS and it was a tough thing to watch what my father was going thru. Keep up the great work!!!!!

  • E. Tauby

    What a wonderful inspiring story! May Hashem give you a refuah shlaima, may you continue to work for many years and may you be able to see much nachas from your beautiful children.

  • shmulkins

    His name is yisroel menachem ben chava gittel may he be well healthy and vigorous to continue doing all of his amzing peulos until moshiach comes